Many present day energy generation systems have undesirable consequences, such as pollution in the case of fossil fuel based systems and radioactive waste in nuclear fuel based systems. The general idea of harnessing energy from natural sources, such as the flow of a fluid like water or air, has been known for centuries and is highly desired for being abundant and clean. Various prior systems have been directed to generating energy from natural sources; however, they all have inherent design features that render them ineffective and/or inefficient.
For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,817 to Steelman is directed to a power generating device. This device has a continuous flexible member that is trained about a single pulley. A plurality of sails is attached to the flexible member. A plurality of lines is attached around the open end of the sails and to the flexible member. The flexible member passes through the geometric center of each sail. Because of this design, when the sails reach the pulley, the sail will be compressed between the pulley and the flexible member, which will result in multiple negative consequences. For instance, there is a high likelihood that the sail will become entangled in the pulley as it rotates around the pulley. In such case, the rotation of the pulley may stop such that the device ceases to function as designed, or the sail may be torn, thereby rendering the sail inoperative. Moreover, if somehow these adverse consequences do not occur, the constant pressure as the sail passes over the pulley will cause the sail to wear out at a very fast rate, requiring its replacement in a relatively short period of time.
Further, all of the clips and buoyancy correcting members have the flexible member running through the center of them. As a result, they will also be passing over the pulley, which will not only cause them to wear out quickly but will also create excessive wear on the pulley and will most likely induce slippage of the flexible member, thereby reducing efficiency. Additionally, the device also makes use of only one pulley. Although a single pulley reduces the overall weight of the device, it makes the likelihood of consistent operation highly unlikely. Due to a lack of a second pulley, buoyancy correcting members are used to keep the flexible member from either sinking or floating. As the flexible member reaches the end at the pulley, where it now needs to turn downward to begin its path against the current, the buoyancy correcting member will not allow the rope to sink to a lower depth. As a result, all of the flexible members will be at the same level and will most likely cause an entanglement of the flexible member and sails.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,498,402 to Saiz is directed to a wind energy catchment device. The device uses parachutes. Although the Saiz device uses two or more pulleys, the parachutes will still pass over the pulleys, and the device will experience the same negative consequences associated with the Steelman device.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,992,125 to Schilling is directed to an underwater power apparatus with furlable sails as working members. Schilling discloses the use of a vertical flat sail to capture the energy. Thus, the Schilling apparatus has many more movable parts that will inherently make it less efficient and prone to breakdown and maintenance issues. It also requires it be mounted on the sea or river bed. This makes deployment and maintenance more difficult, especially if the depth is extreme.
Thus, there is a need for a fluid-based energy generation system that can minimize such concerns.